Need a way to jazz up your workout? Or, what about a new way to track your progress? I’d like to introduce you to the idea of heart rate monitors. And no I am not talking about the built in ones on cardio equipment, they are usually not accurate and overused. Rather be open to the idea of personal heart rate monitors. They look like a regular stop watch but do so much more.
A heart rate monitor includes a chest strap transmitter and a wrist receiver (now you can even use your ipod touch or iphone). You can also get strapless heart rate monitors are available, but many are still new on the market and lack a lot of the features of the regular ones. All you have to do is put the chest strap on prior to working out. Females can place it were their sports rate sits on their chest (you can buy sports bras with built in casing). Now the manuals say to wet the electrode before using, but I have learned that if you put the strap on about 10 minutes before your workout (time to walk to the gym), then your body heat actually activates the strap.
Depending on the model of heart rate monitor purchased you will want to program all your own personal stats in. The basic model will require you to put your resting heart rate, weight and height in; while the more advanced ones will ask for your age, approximate body fat percentage, VO2 max. All of these will allow you the user to know not only what your heart rate is during exercise, but also how many calories are burned, specific heart rate zones, and even breathing rate. Some models are water resistant, so for all you swimmers you can see what your heart does in the water! You can even get models that tell you how many miles have been achieved, speed zones and RPMs (for cyclists), all can be downloaded to your computer.
So how does this apply to you? Whether you are a recreational hiker, evening gym go’er or a hardcore runner, a heart rate monitor is as valuable as a good pair of shoes. The best thing about heart rate monitors is that you can track your progress. For example if your ran for 30 minutes with a HR between 140-150bpms (beats per minute), then throughout the course of a month try to throw sprints in there to get your heart rate up to 160bpms. Through training you will gradually lower your maximum heart rate, therefore you will be able to push higher for longer. Also cardiovascular training will take you resting heart rate lower, and you will start to notice that your post exercise heart rate will decreases faster. Are you slowly starting to see the perks of a heart rate monitor? If that didn’t sell you, then get this- you can track your weekly workouts, starting on Monday thru to Sunday most heart rate monitors track exercise time, heart rate zones reached and calories burned. So no matter what your goals are, a heart rate monitor can help you get there.
My take on heart rate monitors is simple, I love them. At first it was a big expense, but throughout a month my heart rate monitor became my best friend. Now I can’t go a workout without it, in fact I get made when I don’t have mine on me. You want to be careful when buying a heart rate monitor. Do your research or else the sales staff might try to sell you a model that you really don’t need. You want to also be weary of the battery in the monitor itself. Some HR monitors require special service to have the battery changed. Additionally I would want to watch out for pricing. Do comparisons before you purchase one. If you do a lot of spin classes, group fitness or train with a partner, make sure you buy one with a low-power radio link single, as you do not want to transmit some else’s heart rate.
If your still undecided or want to try a heart monitor first hand, ask your gym or local running store. Many have heart rate monitors that you can try for the duration of your workout. My tip- wash the chest strap before use, it is kind of like wearing some else’s underwear.
I dig my heart rate monitor. I use a Polar F6, and love it!
